The Western Roads Federation (WRF) has confirmed its successful WA heavy vehicle driver training program has been launched into the state’s Wheatbelt region.
The six week program has now trained and employed more than 600 new people into the WA transport industry, with employers wanting more.
Of these new industry members, 38 per cent of these new trained and employed drivers are women.
The event and program is being launched into the Wheatbelt and has brought transport industry employers, students, TAFEs and job agencies together.
The event was organised by Workforce Australia Local Jobs program employment facilitator Emma Everett and supported by Neil Savage from WRF.
Everett organised the job connections event in partnership with WRF, utilising funding provided by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. The event was hosted at Muresk Institute in Northam, where Central Regional TAFE students have attended their practical training following several weeks of theory training delivered in a flexible online model.
“The Heavy Vehicle Job Connections event at Muresk Institute was a great opportunity to showcase the wide variety of job pathways on offer and provide real connection opportunities for our students with transport sector employers,” Everett says.
“We have had great feedback already from students and employers and we look forward to supporting employers and students to connect to real job outcomes throughout the rest of the program.
“The Heavy Rigid (HR) License is a keystone license in the Wheatbelt region – it opens doors to a wide range of current jobs and future promotion opportunities for those who achieve it. We appreciate the work of Central Regional TAFE and Western Roads Federation to customise the delivery schedule of the Heavy Vehicle Driving Operations Skill Set to the ‘mobile delivery model’.
“This has made the course more accessible to individuals working part time in other roles, and those who live outside of Northam. We are looking forward to supporting this program as it travels to other WA locations in 2024.”
The Workforce Australia Local Jobs program is funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) and brings together expertise, resources and access to funding at the local level to support job seekers and their communities in each region.
The program has a particular focus on reskilling, upskilling and employment pathways.
To get in touch with your local Employment Facilitator to find out how they can help you, click here.